Well, i'm a jitterbug boy, by the shoe-shine
Resting on my laurels and my hardys too
Life of riley on a swing shift, gears follow my drift
Once upon a time i was in show-biz too
I seen the brooklyn dodgers playing at ebbets field
Seen the kentucky derby too
It's fast women, slow horses, unreliable sources,
And i'm holding up the lamp-post if you want to know
I've seen the wabash cannonball, buddy, i've done it all
'cause i slept with the lions and marilyn monroe,
Had breakfast in the eye of a hurricane
Fought rocky marciano, played minnesota fats,
Burned hundred-dollar bills, i've eaten mulligan stew
Got drunk with louis armstrong, what's that old song?
I taught mickey mantle everything that he knows
So you ask me what i'm doing here holding up the lamp-post,
Flipping this quarter, trying to make up my mind
And if it's heads i go to tennessee, and tails i buy a drink,
If it lands on the edge i keep talking to you
(scat)